Amy Cure has eye on 2018 Commonwealth Games after
history making 2016-2017 track season

June 1st 2017

Amy Cure after winning one of three Australian titles in 2017.
Photo: John Veage

After putting Rio Olympic disappointment aside Amy Cure had
one of the most successful track seasons of her career. From
19 events across World Cups, Australian, Oceania and World
Championships the 24-year-old claimed 15 medals including nine
gold.

In a season that started in December with three Oceania titles
and continued with three national titles and three World Cup
gold, Cure had high hopes of adding another world title to her
name at the World Championships with a new focus on the omnium
and Madison.

While adding a seventh rainbow jersey to her collection didn't
eventuate it wasn't through lack of effort on her part. Cure
narrowly missed gold in the team pursuit with the Australian
team in a hotly contested battle with the United States before
adding bronze in the omnium and Madison.

The bronze medals in the omnium and Madison initially left
Cure disappointed but that quickly turned around when she
learned she had become the first rider in history to win world
championship medals in six events.

Her busy schedule caught up with here in the points race where
the 2014 world champion wrapped up her season with 11th. Never
one to make excuses though Cure battled illness at the World
Championships, spending the second half of competition on
antibiotics.

A post Worlds break included a seven-day Ride As One charity
ride raising funds for the Leukaemia Foundation. Before
jetting off to the United States for the Tour of California,
where a knee injury forced her to withdraw on the opening
stage.

Back in her European home of Belgium, Cure is looking forward
to the rest of the road season before turning her attention
back to the track and the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Started your track season at the Oceania Championships
in December winning gold medals in the team pursuit, omnium
and Madison. Post Rio did it give you confidence and a base to
build on for the rest of the season?

I really was unsure how I was going to preform after quite a
big post Rio break. But I was very happy as well as surprised
with my performances at the Oceania Championships. I believe
they were a great build up for the season ahead.

Heading in to Worlds after a busy and successful track
season what were your goals?

I really wanted to win another World Championship title. I was
targeting more the omnium and the Madison. To not come away
with a rainbow jersey was a bit disappointing for
myself. I always put such I high expectation on my goals, so
when I don't achieve them I do get disappointed. In saying
this I was very proud of my overall performances in becoming
the only person to ever medal in all six track endurance
events.

The team pursuit final between Australia and the
United States was one of the most exciting races did you know
just how close it was over the final kilometre?

For me I knew we were very close but I didn't know we were as
close as we were. I was just giving it my everything I could
for the team. We had not been doing very much teams pursuit
training leading into the World Championships. We all wanted
to focus on individual events more, so we did not know what we
were going to expect coming into the team pursuit. It was very
exciting after the race was finished, we all had that slight
look of being disappointed on our faces. Disappointed that we
were so close and just missed it, but we were all really happy
for what we had achieved. Over all the rounds we have raced
way better than we have before as far as times go. So we were
all really happy as a team.

Raced the omnium at Worlds for the second time in your
career. The change of format has created a lot of controversy
though with all bunch racing it is one that suits you. What is
your opinion of it?

For me the new format suits me a lot better than the old
format. It is a lot of different racing to what we are used
to, each individual event is raced differently depending on
where all the other competitors are sitting. I think it's nice
having different events on the schedule, but I believe I have
a lot more room for improvements within all events.

The tempo race in particular has been unpopular with a
lot of riders, coaches and fans do you think the tempo needs
to be reconsidered or even replaced?

It's a very difficult question. Every tempo race is completely
different. I have raced it before and it can be a very
negative race, and other times it's been a very aggressive
race. It's always hard to say so early on and the UCI are
trying different rules to improve it all the time. So I'll
leave that ones up to the experts to decide.

Had first year elite riders Michaela Drummond and
Elisa Balsamo who just stepped up from juniors put in strong
rides at Worlds what did you think of their performances?

It's always great to see the juniors step up into the seniors.
It is always nice to race against different faces and they
always keep us more experienced ones on our toes. It's always
great for the sport to see so many new talented girls coming
through.

The depth in women's endurance on the track seems to
be as strong as ever how important do you see that for the
sport?

It's great to see so many women coming through the sport.
Especially now we have new events like the Madison now for
women. It is great that the UCI are giving us the chance to
race this event. It makes it a much more spectacular event
when you have a lot of teams going head to head apposed to
having five or six.

A number of nations including Australia have had a
women's Madison national championship for a number of years
though 2017 was the first time has been at the World
Championships. You and Alex Manly were a bit unlucky with
crashes what was the racing like and what did winning a medal
mean to you?

I think its great that Australia has got behind such an
amazing event now for quite a few years. Its such a fun race
to be apart of and for sure is my favourite event. Yes we had
a bit of bad luck with crashes during the World Championships
but it was great to be apart of history making day in our
sport. It wasn't the result we had hoped for but it meant so
much to be able to stand on that podium with the others girls.

Your bronze medals in the omnium and Madison gave you
medals in all six endurance events and the first person to win
medals in six events. Did you know at the time what you had
accomplished? To have won medals in six events is a true sign
of your all round talent what does it mean to you?

Actually I did not know this at all at the time and I had no
idea about it at all. It was not until I came home and I was a
bit upset about my results and I was on twitter and I read a
tweet by someone saying this, so it was really nice to read
and it really completely changed my disappointment into a real
sense of achievement. So no, I really didn't have any idea
until later on that night.

Had a very busy schedule at Worlds with three rounds
of the TP, omnium, Madison and points race how did you find
the workload?

For me I always find it hard to choose what events I want to
target, I am an all rounder and I do love every race and I
have the potential to preform in every race. However I think
with the omnium and the new event added with the Madison I
believe it was an event too much. I really noticed it in my
last event the points race I really had nothing. In saying
this I also got sick during the middle of my racing and was on
antibiotics, which also did not help doing so many events, my
body found it very hard to recover.

19 races in the 2016/17 season across World Cups,
Oceania, Australia and World Championships and won 15 medals
including nine gold. An incredible season for you have you had
a chance to reflect on it? What does it mean to you?

It sounds really weird when you put it like that. For me I
don't really look at what I have done too much or keep a tally
of the medals, I like to focus more on what I have coming up.
I focus on the type of competition and take each event as it
comes. I'm alway proud of how I race and I always give it my
best shot. I learn a lot from every race. I am always proud of
myself. I'm proud of my victories, and my defeats because they
all define who I am as an athlete and they all teach me
valuable lessons along the way.

2018 Commonwealth Games less than a year away after
winning silver and bronze medals in 2014 is it a big focus for
you?

The commonwealth Gams are a huge focus for me now. In fact
they are my next major stepping-stone towards the 2020 Tokyo
Olympics. It is super exciting to have them in Australia next
year so I'm really looking forward to having more people
support me than normal.

Turning to the Olympics you said after missing a ride
in London you wanted a ride in Rio and you got it
unfortunately a big crash in training just days out and fell
just short of the medals.
Some unfinished business and already looking to Tokyo?

For sure, I really have some unfinished business, especially
that this Olympic cycle will most probably be my last
Olympics, before starting a family and that next chapter of my
life so I'm really motivated more than ever to make it a great
Olympics to finish my career with.

On to the road now and didn't have the perfect start
at the Tour of California with a knee injury. What are your
goals on the road for 2017?

I was really upset with getting a knee injury, it was not what
I had planned and this year I have been very motivated for a
great road season. I did a lot of training leading up to
California straight after a break from the World Championships
maybe a bit too much training causing my injury. But that is
sport I am always learning how far I can push my body. I am
just trying to get my knee 100% first and then I will start to
plan the rest of my road season. First thing is first, getting
it better and then building up fitness again.